ENG vs NZ: New Zealand playing XI vs England, Match 1, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Predicted

New Zealand will face the defending champions England in the opening game of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Thursday in Ahmedabad.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will start in a day. The first game will see a clash between two teams that played in the finals of 2019 World Cup. It will be England up against New Zealand in the tournament's opener on Thursday, October 5, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

This game will kick off the tournament, and ten teams will compete to become World Champions. New Zealand are coming off a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh, but they lost 3-1 against England before that. So New Zealand will be aware of England's plans for the big match. Here we will talk about the predicted playing XI for New Zealand against England.

ENG vs NZ: New Zealand's Predicted playing XI vs England

1. Devon Conway :

Devon Conway will be the most important wicket for New Zealand at the top because he has loads of experience playing in India and has also been one of the most consistent batters for Black Caps. Conway has scored 449 runs in 10 games at 49.88 for New Zealand. He is the one that can score big scores and will look to score one against England.

2. Will Young :

Will Young is another in-form batter for New Zealand at the top. He has replaced Martin Guptill and will have big duties on his shoulders. Young has played quite a few ODIs this year. He has scored 578 runs in 14 innings at 44.46 and scored five centuries. He is a modern-day batter who loves to take on bowling.

3. Mark Chapman :

Mark Chapman will be New Zealand's No. 3 in the absence of Kane Williamson. It will be a great opportunity for the youngster, and in T20Is, he has done a good job batting in the top order. The left-hander keeps rotating the strike, which makes him a difficult batter to bowl at. But his role will be to take the batting together if any wicket falls.

4. Daryl Mitchell :

All-rounder Daryl Mitchell is one of the most important players in the middle-order. He has played against England in all three formats and performed. In fact, England is one of his favorite opponents to bat against. Mitchell has played 16 games in 2023, scored 652 runs at 43.46, and also taken nine wickets with the ball. Thus, his all-round skills will be very important for his team.

5. Tom Latham (wk & c) :

Tom Latham will be leading the team in the opening game against England, as Williamson is likely to miss the game. Latham has been doing this for the last 5–6 months, and his experience is another key in the middle-order for his team. The left-hander has scored 415 runs in 16 innings in ODIS this year, but with World Cup going on, he will be looking to take on more responsibility.

6. Glenn Phillips :

Glenn Phillips is an x-factor in the team for New Zealand. He is a complete match-winner who can bat, bowl, keep wickets, and is a brilliant fielder. Phillips has also improved his bowling, and he is a real dasher and the finisher for New Zealand. He has played 10 innings and scored 293 runs at 32.55 in 2023, and he will be looking to improve his numbers in the coming tournament.

7. Rachin Ravindra :

It will be a tough competition between Rachin Ravindra and James Neesham for a place in the team. But the form Ravindra showed in warm-up games was brilliant. He is a genuine all-rounder who can be pretty effective with his spin on the Indian pitches. His batting is another aspect for his team in the coming World Cup.

8. Mitchell Santner :

Mitchell Santner is a very effective spinner in Indian conditions, and that's what he has shown in Indian Premier League as well. The pitch in Ahmedabad help spinners, and he can have a pretty good effect here. Adding to that, his batting has also improved, and he can hit some big shots down the order, which is an added advantage for New Zealand.

9. Lockie Ferguson :

If England have Mark Wood, then New Zealand have Lockie Ferguson. These two will set the game on fire, for sure. Ferguson will have a big role because he bowls mainly as the first change and at the death. He can rattle the batters with his pace, but his change-ups are very effective. New Zealand will hope that he can take a few wickets in the middle-overs to put pressure on England.

10. Matt Henry :

Matt Henry is the in-form pacer on the side who has done a pretty good job this year. He has taken 14 wickets in just 10 games at an economy rate of 4.99. He was one of the key performers for New Zealand in 2019 World Cup and helped them reach the finals. Henry will be expected to start well, and he will get some swing right away.

11. Trent Boult :

Trent Boult will be the most impactful bowler on either side. He is the juggernaut when it comes to taking wickets in the power-play, and New Zealand's chances will depend a lot on how he bowls. If Boult can remove a couple of batters from the power-play, New Zealand will be up and running.